Electric depilator



Feb. 18, 1930. x. R. OLIVER ELECTRIC DEPILATOR Filed June 21. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Xz'v/'er g www afferma Feb. 18, 1930.

Filed June 21. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J1/wam tot,

X120 Zi ver Patented Feb. `18, 1930 ,l

rurais FFICE XOROL R. OLIVER, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA i ELECTRIC DEPILATOR Application led June 21,

` which carries aplurality of flexible needle carrying wires or cords, each of these terminating in a separate needle and these wires Y being carried by a swingingly adjustable comb or rack formed of convoluted wire, so as to take oil' as much strain from the needles as possible and support the needles in position after they have been inserted.

Inasmuch as operations of this kind are used in removing` hair from different parts of the body, as for instance the face, the legs, the arms, the arm pits, etc., it is necessary that the rack or comb for supporting the wires should be, under all circumstances, disposed as far as possible parallel to the surface into which the needles are to be inserted. Inasmuch as the rack or comb above referred to has an arcuate' form, it is obvious that while it is somewhat adapted for certain operations, it is not adapted to others, and that while 3,0 the rack havinga fixed curvature may bek suitable to the contours of certain faces for instance, it will not be suitable for the contours of other faces. v

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an instrument of the character described with a wire supporting rack which shall be adjustable 'to suit all exigencies of operation, and particularly to 'providea rack` so formed thatit maybe adjustable into more 49 orless a straight line or adjusted with one part projecting outward beyond another part, this being particularly necessary in View of the fact that any slight strain on the wires, due for instance to the inevitable relaxation of the patient, will cause the needle to be pulled out. With devices of this character now on the market the operator must constantly shi-ft the wires from one convolution of the rack to some other convolution of the 50 rack andat the saine time constantly try to 1928. Serial No. 287,299.

readjust the support and the rack to conform to the slight movements of the patient and bring the supporting rack again into the proper relation to the patient who has moved.

A further object is to so construct and 5,5 mount the rack as to reduce as much as possible the necessity ofreadjustment on the part of the operator and so construct the support for the rack that racks of different formsmay be easily interchanged and that where a sectionalrack is used the middle section of the rack may be adjusted vertically as well as swung upon a vertical axis or shifted forward or rearward.

Another object in this connection is to construct the rack support so that the support may be shifted outward or inward 'by the operator without strain being placed upon the needle wires.

Another object is to provide a rack for supporting the cords or wires which is adjustable, as before stated, but which will permit the operator to readily shift a wire from one convolution to another as necessity may demand, and to either form the rack in a plurality of sections each independently adjustable or else form the rack of resilient material and provide means whereby the rack may be shifted or adjusted either into a straight line,

a slight curve, a curve of much less radius or S0 anirregular curve, as circumstances may requlre.

Other objects will appear during the course ofthe following description.

j My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which-- Fig. l is a side elevation of an electric needle supporting apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a. section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; 90

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of two sections of the support showing one of said sections partly broken away;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the rack and the adjacent portion of the support;

Fig. 5 `is a top plan view partly broken away of the rack shown in Fig. 1 and a part ofthe support;

Fig. 6 is a top plan View of another form ma of rack, the support being partly broken away;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the rack shown in F ig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of one of the needle holders;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a different form of rack.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that my apparatus comprises a base support l() to which an arm 11 is pivotally connected and is held in adjusted position by a clamp 12. This clamp is mounted upon a vertically disposed pintle 13 for swinging movement around the axis of the base. The arm 11 has at its outer end a knuckle 14 andan adjusting screw 15, and engaged with this knuckle and screw is a corresponding knuckle on an arm 16. This arm in turn is pivotally adjusted by a knuckle and screw 17 to a tubular arm 18.

This arm is preferably formed in a plurality of telescopic sections, thus for instance the tubular member or sleeve 19 may have telescopic engagement with the arm 18, this engagement'being frictional so thatthe member 19 may be shifted on the member 18 and yet be held in itsA shifted position, or the tubular member 19 may be provided with a set screw or like clamping means to hold it adjusted. Having telescopic engagement with the end of the member 19 is a rodv 20 carrying the knuckle 21 at its outer end and the clamping screw 22, in a manner which will be later described in detail.

I have described so far a form of jointed support which I have found to be convenient and eiiicient for the purpose, but I do not wish to be limited to the ydetails of the support as so far disclosed as these details may be readily varied and the support may be provided with more joints or less joints as desired. Y

Carried upon the end of the arm 18 is a rac-k and in the construction shown in Fig. 5. this rack is formed in three sections, a, b, c. Each of these sections may be formed of a rectangular frame 23 of wire, the lower part of the frame having extending across it the j convoluted wire 24 which constitutes the rack or comb proper. The wire 23 carries upon it a knuckle 25; In the structure shown in Fig. 5 the telescopic rod or member 20, as before stated, is formed with a knuckle 21 with which the knuckle 25 has rotative enga gement and thus'it will be seen that the'rack s section b may be shifted outward and inward with relation to the supportingarm 18 or the rack section b may be swung in the plane of said armk 18 to any desired adjusted position. The rack sections a and c are mounted upon arms 26, these arms being pivotally connected by a knuckle joint 27 to the tubular member 19, so that the arms 26 at their extremities carry the telescopic members 28 to which `the respective rack sections a 'or 0 'are connected by a knuckle joint 29, as previously described for the section b.

"With the construction above described it will be obvious that the sections a or c may be swung upon the knuckle joints into a greater or less angular relation to the section b or that the sections a or c, either or both, may be shifted outward with relation to the section b. `Thus if the section b be turned at approximately a. right angle to the axis of the arm 18 and the sections 0 and a shifted outward and then angled with relation to their supporting arms, the three sections may be brought into approximate alinement.

One of the sections maybe shifted outward or inward and the other two sections alined approximately with each other ordisposed in any desired angular relation. Thus itwill be seen that I have provided in the structure shown inFig. 5 a wire supporting rack which is adjustable to all the exigencies of an operation.

' Adjustably mounted upon the arm 18 is the transverse member 30 from which the needle wires 31 lead. There may be any number vof these wires, but preferably nine or twelve wires will be used. From the member 30 extends a wire 32 which leads to the negative known manner. minates in a needle holder designated generally 33 and carrying a needle 34. The precise construction of the needle holder will be later stated. The wires 81 are relatively long and extend from the bus bar 30 or equivalent member to and over the convolutions of the several rack sections a, b, c.v i

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated another form of my invention, which, as far as the supporting structure goes, is the same Vas that illustrated in Fig'. but which diers in the fact that instead of having the rack or comb of three sections, I form the rack of resilient iexible material. The rack frame 23a may be made of sheet metal or of resilient wire and is not separated into sections. The middle ofthe rack frame is pivotally connected in the manner heretofore describedto the outwardly projecting rod 20 and held clamped in any adjusted position while the ends of the upper bar of the rack are connected by the knuckle joints 29, previously described, to the rods 28 which have telescopic engagement within the tubulararms 26.

These arms 26 are hingedly engaged-with the telescopic member 19 as heretofore described by means of a knuckle and clamping screw heretofore described. With this construction it is4 obvious that the rack may be disposed ina straight line or that it may be readily curved to any desired radius within the range of the apparatus, or that one side of the resilient rack may have a short curve,l while the other half of the rack is relatively straight or flattened, kand that the rack may pole of the battery in the usual and well Each of the wires 31 terbe swung upon the pivot joint connecting it to the rod 20 to any desired angle.-

While I do not wish to be limited-to any vparticular form of needle holder, I have illustrated a construction wherein there is a chuck supporting body 33 of non-conducting material surrounding a non-conductive tube formed with a needle holding chuck at its extremity 35, in which the needle is screwed and heldby a set screw 36. The wires are plugged into the needle holders by any suitable means and fitting over the outer end of the chuck 35 and over a reduced portion of the holder 3 3 is a cap 37 of non-conducting material which is tapered to a point and through which theneedle 34 passes. This cap has preferably screw-threaded engagement with the projecting portion of the chuck. I have found in actual practice that unless the cap has screw-threaded engagement with the end of the chuck 35 that under some circumstances the cap will be too loose upon the chuck and under other circumstances will fit too tightly. By removing the cap the needle may be adjusted to any desired extent.

While I have heretofore referred to the rod 20 as carrying a knuckle 21 at its outer end, it will be seen from Figs. 1 and 4, that the knuckle 21 is not mounted rigidly upon the rod 20, but that the rod 20 at its extremity is formed with a collar 38. Extending do-wnwardly through this collar is an interior screw-threaded sleeve 39 having a iange 40, or other means, whereby it may be rotated. This sleeve is held in rotative engagement with the collar 38 in any suitable manner as, for instance, by the set screw 41 which extends into a circumferential groove in the sleeve. Extending downward through the sleeve and having screw-threaded engagement therewith is the post or rod 42 which, at its lower end is angularly bent at 43 and carries the knuckle 21, heretofore referred to. Coacting with the knuckle 21 is the knuckle 25, heretofore referred to; this knuckle 21 however is not preferably mounted rigidly or directly upon the upper wire or transverse rod of the frame section b, but the knuckle 25 is formed with a clamp 44 within which the upper bar of the rack frame section 6 is mounted. This permits this middle section to be shifted laterally through this clamp or permits the frame section to be entirely removed from the clamp and a frame section of entirely dierent form inserted therein and clamped at any desired portion ofthe frame section.l Thus with the construction above described, it is possible to have a number of frame sections of different forms, some large, some small, some having different curvatures or having an irregular curvature, which may be interchanged one for another, thus the supporting arms for the lateral sections may b e turnedcompletely out of operative position or the lateral sections entirely removed and the middle section alone be used which will have a shape conforming to some peculiarity of the part to be treated. By having a vertically adjustable post 42 it is possible to adjust this rack or rack section vertically up or y down so as to briner the rack in proper position for a face having a long chin or a short chin or in proper position for anyportion of the face, it being understood that it is extremely important that this supporting rack should be in an absolutely proper relation to the feature of the face which is being treated. lVith the construction now on the market, and heretofore referred to, no adjustment is provided and only one rack is provided and it is impossible to bring this rack into correct position for faces or parts of the body which are not of very normal type. j

In Fig. 9, I have illustrated one example of a supporting rack which isirregularly curved or somewhat angled and designed to be used for certain specific contours, but it will be understood that this is merely illustrative of the fact that various forms of rackmay be .used and interchanged one for the other.

It will be seen that 'with my construction, I have provided for maximum adjustabllity of the rack and of the sections supporting the rack. I have provided for a detachment of the rack so as to permit various forms of rack x to be used, I have provided for a vertical'adjustment of the rack as well as a swingingadjustment, and an adjust-ment outward or 1nward, and` I have provided for the rack being longitudinally adjustable within the clamp 44. i

Obviously the resilient rack shown 1n Fig. 7 may also be mounted in these clamps 44 so that different lengths of rack may be used or the rack shifted longitudinally so that kit may be deflected into different forms.

I have illustrated certain details of construction and arrangement of parts, but obviously many of these details may be changed without departing from thespirit of the invention as defined in the accompanyin claims. r

I claim- .1

1. A surgical appliance comprising a support formed of a plurality of jointed sections having means whereby theyy may be held in adjusted position, a plurality of needle carrying electric cords and flesh piercing needles, and a rack for supporting the cords, the rack comprising a frame formed to provide a convoluted edge, within thel convolutions of which the needle cords maybe supported, the rack being mounted for swinging movement and the lateral `end portions of the rack being independently adjustable outward or inward.

2. A surgical appliance comprising asupport formed of a plurality of jointed sections having means whereby they may be held in adjusted position, a plurality of needle carry- Yco'tlpris'ingv a frame formed to provide a convoluted edge',- within the convolutions of whiclth'e needle cords may be supported, the

'rack being mounted for adjustment toward and foii the supporting frame and the lateral edpotions of the rack being independentlyV adjustable outward or inward.

3.- A surgical appliance comprising a suppot -{("Jrrie'd f a plurality of jointed sections haying means whereby they may be held iii adjusted position, a plurality of needle cari-'ying' electric cords and flesh piercing needlesV and a rack for supporting the cords, therack comprising a frame formedV to provide `a convoluted edge, in the convolutions of which the needle cords may be supported, the rack being mounted for adjustment to- Ward and from the supportingframe, and the lateral end portions of the rack being p'iyftally and telescopically connected to the supporting" frame whereby they may be independently adjusted Voutward or inward, and means'for holding the parts inl their adpositions.' I l 4; A surgical appliance comprising, a supporting frame formed of a series of jointed sections', the last 'section of the series being tubular, and a rack formed with a convoluted portion adapted to receive the needle cords of. the lapparatus, lateral end portions of the rackI being independently adjustable outwird orin'ward relative-to each other and the middle of the rack, a member telescoping Within the tubular member to Which the middle portion of the' rack is piv'otally and adjustlably connected, and telescopic arms connected to saidv rnembersat the sides thereof,

a'nd pivotally connected to the end portions Y of the rack.

7. In a surgical appliance of the character described, a support formed of a series of jointed members, and a rack for the support of the needle cords of the appliance, a vertically adjustable post mounted upon the support for adjustment toward or from the support, and a rack mounted upon the lower end of said post. v

8. In a surgical appliance of the character described, a support formedl of a series of jointed members, and a rack for the support of the needle cords of the appliance, the terminal member of said series of jointed members being formed with a clamp within Which the rack is detachably clamped and within which the rack is longitudinally adjustable.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ax my signature.

XOROL R. OLIVER.

5'. In a surgical appliance of the character end portions of the rack may be' independently deflectedboutward or inward to thereby change" the curvature of the rack.

6*. In a surgical appliance of the cliarac- Y ter" described,Y asupport formed of a series of jointed and a rack `for the supportA of` the needle cords' of the apparatus, said rack at itsmiddle being mounted upon the A 'supporti for adjustment toward or from the support and forswinging movement in the plne of the: support,the lateral end portions of the rackbeing mountedupon.thepsupport f`i*" outw'ifdaiid inward movement toward the supportindependentlyv of each thlefand indepedentA f the middleI portion 

